A Classic Christmas Tale

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Reviewed by Chaitanya Mehra

A Christmas Carol was written in the 1830's. This story is Charles Dickens' most well known tale, and has become the classic Christmas story. Even the name used in the book has become part of everyday speech (Scrooge for a miserly person). The book is set in London. The main characters are Scrooge and his worker Bob Cratchit. In the beginning Scrooge is portrayed as being a mean and miserly accountant: "No children asked him what it was O'clock," "Not a soul asked him the way to this place or that." Then came the supernatural visitors, the ghosts of Christmases past, present and future. They showed him his childhood, his life, his future. He saw scenes that made him change. He became kind and nice, loving and caring, friendly.

A Christmas Carol is a very special story because Charles Dickens uses the characters as an outlet for his emotions. Charles Dickens grew up impoverished like his clerk Bob Cratchit. It is really almost a short story, and is a tribute to his memories and as well as to the spirit of Christmas.

A Christmas Carol has been a family favorite in my family for many years. Among our other Christmas traditions reading A Christmas Carol out loud has been one of the more enjoyable aspects of the day. This heartwarming tale transcends cultural boundaries and reaches out to adults as well as children. Dickens' writing evokes the dark mood of sorrow and it's transformation into the joyous face of happiness with skill and makes the reader identify with the characters plight's. From the initial "Bah Humbug" to the concluding "God bless us, everyone," Dickens' poignant novella holds our interest and our emotions.

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